Saturday, March 10, 2012

Boulder City Train / Art Train



"The Art Train"
in Boulder City

Not many get to ride a train these days.  Did you know Boulder City has it's own train? 

I was fortunate enough to be able to show some of my photography on the BC Art Train, it was an unique and enjoyable experience.

"Engine 844"

"The sitting car"

Because I was an exhibitor I was allowed access on the train before it filled up with guests.

"The Open Car"
The train was filled to capacity a few minutes later. 

"Sitting Car"
This is styalized in monochrome

"Dream Train"

Even though he is a retired conductor and now volunteers he looked as if he were thinking of days gone by when he was a young conductor on the railroad. 

 I took an image I had of the engine going down the track and added it to the window and then added a soft edge to the image making it look like he was dreaming. 


The "Art Train" was fun and the money it raised went to a great charity. I can't wait to do it again.

"The Red Door"

Every train needs a caboose this one has a red door I wonder if all caboose have red doors

"The Caboose"

Not many people get to hang out windows and doors to take pictures while on a train.  This one wasn't moving very fast that is probably why I didn't get thrown off. It was a fun event and I had a great time on the "Art Train"

The End
 or should I say
 The Caboose
 .

Friday, March 9, 2012

Fremont Street, Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas Documents hosts LV Technical High School for photo shoot at Fremont Street
Thanks Heather for the opportunity to come shoot with you.

The movers.  These guys were facinated with my camera and were happy to pose for a portrait inbetween moving slots around.

The   Golden Gate was getting new carpet.  When have you ever seen slots just  sitting on the sidewalk like this......Never!

 Something you don't see every day.  Only in Vegas baby.

Bling Bling,  reflections,reflections who's in the reflections

Shooting the lightbulbs, Oh to be young again.  It would have taken me 10 minutes to get up off the ground.


Send in the clowns.  Kinda creepy and dirty to be in a kiosk.

The  Escape
There are not to many of these in Las Vegas.  This looks more like N'Orleans
 The Palms
Simple and yet beautiful
Those were the days.
I would never want to do High School again.  But this was a fun day to share what I know and be of some help.
 Really?
This is what caught  my eye as I was pulling out of the parking lot.
A grown man with a huge rubber duck on his back and tights with hiking boots.  
Just hiking along .Only in Vegas.







Valley of Fire

Saturday I went to the Valley of Fire for a photo trip.  I was going to meet up with a group who were going to hike out to a  little known arch.  I thought this if a perfect chance to see something I hadn't seen before at Vof F, so off I went.  I packed up and left at first light. I stopped at the Tribal store and bought a few snacks, sunglasses (I couldn't find mine) and some sparklers for a later date to do some night photography.  Who knew they would be $19.00 I was is shock at the check out, but I didn't want to take they back so I paid.  They better be good. 
      I should have been at Vof F at sunrise but my old lazy self couldn't do it.   Seeing how the hike didn't start until 9:30 am I had plenty of time to hike around and get some shots I had missed last time out.  Most of the places where there are petoglyphs have been vandalized.  There was a little pointed piece of sandstone I went to go shoot again and it had been broken off.  My friend Jay who is a ranger there said that they have to go out once a month and remove graffitie.  It breaks my heart that people can't respect nature. 


  Look close at this rock formation it looks like a Garyolye.
The Gargoyle

Crying Rock

Half Man  (see the graffiti at the bottom)

great petoglyphs (more graffiti)

After photographing for a few hours I went to the Visitor's Center to meet up with the group.  No Group.  No one knew anything about the hike and so after waiting an hour.  I drove home.  On the way I stopped at the Petrified log turn out. 

Petirfied Wood
Even though I didn't get to hike back into the hidden arch.  I spotted this one some distance away from the road.  I think I will come back and get a little closer next time. 

There will be a next time .  I love hiking and photographing at the V of F.  there is always something to see and photograph.

Until next time. 

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Brownstone Canyon Red Rock National Conservation Area

A section of Brown Stone Canyon I call the Fins

On of the 2 dams built in Brownstone.  This one is at the very end.
Color or Monocrhrome which do you prefer?
The red and yellow rocks were beautiful

The Fins

I used a process called Pixel Bender on this image it has a fun look.
Unlike petroglyphs the rock art uses paint
These images were under a overhang protecting the paint over the years. The paint had brilliant reds, yellows and whites.
A fellow photo buddy Ronnie, Dennis and I hiked to the end of brownstone canyon Saturday 2/25/12 aprox 4.5 miles round trip. We went because in a hidden area of the canon there is some Native American Rock Art that I had wanted to photograph. I was not disappointed. It was beautiful. Reds yellows and white paintings it filled an entire wall. We also hiked to several man made dams whether to provide a much needed watering hole for animals or to help with flash flooding I do not know but it was fascinating to see the sites. There were many facinating geological formations like brain rock.   I would like to spend the night there and get some sunrise shots that overlook the whole Las Vegas valley. The hiking was great the company was the best.